For the next two weeks or so I'm going to talk about water quality and water purification - pretty much everything to do with water. Water is important in the summer, and having clean water is even more important. Part 1 deals with water pollution.
Water is one of the essential components of life. Almost 2/3 of the human body is made up of water, and without it our bodies can't function. It's very important to stay hydrated, especially when the weather turns hot.
Most people can just turn a tap and get fresh, clean water right from their kitchen sink. But with industries dumping approximately 200 million pounds of toxic chemicals into the waterways every year, how clean is the water that comes out of your faucet? While tap water in the U.S. has to follow certain standards, the government only regulates about 100 chemicals out of thousands, and even those limits are sometimes exceeded.
If you want to find out more about the quality of your water, you can start by looking at the EPA's Drinking Water Database. You can also purchase a water test kit and conduct a test of your own drinking water. These kits are quick and easy to use.
Water pollutants can be broken down into three broad categories: toxic chemicals, infectious agents, and heavy metals.
Toxic chemicals, such as pesticides, and even traces of rocket fuel are often found in water. The most common chemical is chlorine, which is added to drinking water to kill bacteria. While it kills many microorganisms, it also interacts with organic material in the water and in your body, forming toxic compounds called THMs that cause cell damage and encourage cancer.
Infectious agents in the water include viruses, bacteria, and other microorganisms. Some of these organisms are highly resistant to chlorine. You might hear them called microbial cysts. This is just a term for a dormant stage of a microorganism. One such organism found in water is Cryptosporidium, which made thousands of people ill during an outbreak in 1993. Cryptosporidium has been found in over 50% of municipal water supplies across the U.S.
Heavy metals are another problem. Lead, mercury, and iron oxide from rusty pipes can easily get into water. Drinking water is one of the leading sources of lead poisoning, causing damage to the brain and nervous system. Another toxic heavy metal found in water is arsenic. While the EPA regulates it, many states go over the acceptable limit.
Now that we've outlined the harmful things that might be lurking in your water, we'll go over what you can do to combat them in Part 2.